The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-06-17
CHAPTER VII.

Kesterwick was primitive place, and had
no railway station nearer than Raffham, four
miles off. Ernest was expected by the mid
day train, and Dorothy and her brother went
to meet him.
When they reached the station the train was
just in sight, and Dorothy got down to go
and await its arrival. Presently it snorted
composedly up-trains do not hurry them
selves on the single lines in the eastern coun-
tries-and in due course deposited Ernest and
his portmanteau.
"Hullo, Doll! so you have come to meet me.
How are you, old grip and he proceeded to
embrace her on the platform.
"You shouldn't Ernest. am too big to be
kissed like n little girl, and in public, too"
"Bg, h'm Miss five feet nothing and as
for the public, don't see any," The train
had gone on and the solitary porter had
vanished with the portmanteau.
swell, there is no need Of you to laugh at
me for being small; it Is not everybody who
can be May pole, like you, or as broad as he
is long, IKE Jeremy"
An unearthly halloo from this last named
parsonage, who had caught sight of Ernest
through the door of the booking Office,
put stop to further controversy, and pres
emily all three were driving back, each talk
ing at the top of his or her voice
At the door Of Dum's Ness they found Mr..
Cardus apparently gazing abstractedly at the
ocean, but in reality waiting to greet Ernest,
to whom Of late years he had grown greatly
attached, though his reserve seldom allowed
him to show it.
"Hullo, uncle, how are youi You look
pretty fresh, sang out that young gentle
man before the cart had fairly come to q
standstil
"Very well, thank you, Ernest need not
ask how you are. / am glad to see you back.
You have come at a lucky moment, too, for
the Batemania Wallisii Is in flower, and the
| Grammatophyllum speciosum, too. The last
Is splendid"
"Ahl" said Ernest, deeply interested, for he
had much of his uncle's love for orchids, 'let's
go and see them"
While they were engaged in admring the
| lovely bloom of the grammatophyllum. Mr..
| Cardus saw Mr.. de Tailor come into his office,
| which was, as the reader may remember,
connected with the orchid blooming house by
glass door The visitor walked round the
room, and casting look of contempt at the
flowers in the blooming house, stopped at Mr.
Cardus desk, and glanced at the papers lying
on it. Finding apparently nothing to inter-
est him he retired to the window, and putting
his thumbs in the armholes of his waistcoat,
amused himself by staring out Of it, There
was something so intensely vulgar and insol-
ent in his appearance as he stood thus that
Ernest could not help laughing.
"Ahl" said Mr.. Cardus, with look of sup
pressed malgnity, half to himself and half to
Ernest, II have really got hold of you at
last, and you may look out, my friend I"
Then he went in, and as he left the blooming
house Ernest heard him greet his visitor in
that suave manner, with just touch of
Difference in it, that he knew so well how to
assume, and De Talor's reply, "'Ow do, Car
dust 'ow's the business getting onln
Outside the glass houses Ernest found
Jeremy waiting for him. 1t had for year.
been an understood thing that the latter wa.
not to enter them. There was no particular
reason why he should not; IL was merely one
of those signs of Mr.. Cardus' disfavor thai
caused Jeremy's pride such bitter injury.
"What are you going to do, old fellowln h,
asked OF Ernest.
swell, want to go down and see Florenc,
Cheswick, but suppose you won't care t,
come"
"Oh, yes, I'll come"
"The duece you will-well, never! I say
Doll" +" he sang out to that young lady as sh,
appeared upon the scene, "what has hap
pened to Jen""'y-he's coming out calingP
"I fancy he got an attraction" said Mis-
Dorothy,
"I say, old fellow, you haven't been cuttinl
me out with Florence, have youl"
II am sure it would be no great loss II
had" put in Dorothy, with an impatient littl
stamp of the foot.
"You be quiet, Doll l am very fond O
Florence, she's so clever, and nice looking
too"
"If being clever means being able TO sa
spiteful things, and having a temper like
like fiend's, she is certainly clever enough
and, as for her looks, they are a matter c
taste; not that it is for me to talk abou
good looks"
"Oh, how humble we are, Doll; dust on on
head and sackcloth on our back, and how ou
blue eyes flashh
ABE quiet, Ernest, or l shall get angry"
@Oh, no, don't do that; leave that TO peopl
with a temper 'hke--like fiends,' you know
There, there, don't get cross, Dolly; lets XII
and be friends
II won't kiss you, and / won't be friend
and you may walk by yourselves" and befo
anybody could stop her she was gone. Erne
whistled softly, rejecting that Dorothy W
not good at standing chaff Then, after wal
ing awhile, he and Jeremy started to ps
their call.
Dut tucJ WtTe uestlneu to no uhioituhh'
Eva, whom Ernest had never seen, and
whom he had heard nothing beyond that s
was "good looking" for Jeremy, notwit
standing his expressed Intention of consu
ing him, could not make up his mind
broach the subject, was In bed with b
headache, and Florence had gone out TO spe
the afternoon with a friend. The old la
was at home, however, and received the
both warmly, more especially her favori
Ernest, whom she kissed affectionately.
81 am lucky" she said, "in having Z
nieces, or l should never see anything
young gentlemen like you"
~ think said Ernest audaciously, "tl
i old ladies ara much nlea MAR N talk IN IN